The Green Bench
by OhCamilla
Summary: A storm is brewing. Bella looks out the window only to find a tall figure hunched over her favourite bottle green bench and worries for his welfare. She only intended to be a good samaritan but that all changes when she peers into his troubled eyes...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note**

**I'd just like you to know that this story probably won't be updated for a while. I intended to just post the first chapter and ask your opinion on it. So please review with your thoughts. Is it any good?**

**I realise this first chapter is a little uneventful but I suppose I'm just setting the scene. I promise it will get much more exciting. Oh and I know there are spelling mistakes, I'll try to sort them out.**

**I've had this whole story in my head for a while but I'm terribly busy at the moment and can't find the time to do it. I will probably start updating regularly when I've written a few more chapters but please bare with me. **

**However, if I miraculously find some inspiration then I might give you another instalment in the not so distant future.**

**Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing,**

**Cammy**

The Green Bench

Bella sat at her large white bay window over-looking her most favourite place in the world. It was even more perfect, she thought to herself, at precisely this time of day, twilight. The setting sun with its gorgeous array of colours seemed to engulf her here, like a giant warm hug of rich shades of red, orange and purple. It was calming and the immensity and intensity of it all gave her that beautiful sense of insignificance. That whatever her life threw at her, wherever she ended up, she would always just be as insignificant as a particle of salt in the sea. Drifting, sometimes aimlessly it seemed, through the vast ocean that was life.

She looked over the scene in front of her, a small smile playing on her lips as she recalled and reflected on the events of the day. Bella, being such a complex person always felt the need to arrange her thoughts after a long day, and for her, today had felt much longer than long. It was like separating her thoughts into workable chunks. That way, she could sift through with ease, much like sifting through files in a filing cabinet, and work through them until finding her much needed happy medium.

She had always been like this, a thinker. Bella thought about anything and everything. It was sometimes a burden to be thinking constantly but she wouldn't want it any other way. In fact, she knew her mind had always worked differently to others, and she embraced this knowledge whole-heartedly. She dreaded to think of how life would be if she was one of those simple people she saw everyday. Wandering through life in a rush, flying almost, from one milestone to another. Never stopping to think, feel or absorb their surroundings. Never having real depth to their thoughts or meaning behind their actions. Yes, she dreaded it indeed, to be that way. But no worry, she would thankfully never be one of those people. It's not that she thought she was superior to them, just different. She knew how she had her insight and wise ways to offer to the world, they had their defining characteristics which were as equally important, to offer also. And she recognised that in the world, how one person was so unlike another, and it fascinated her. Her overwhelming desire to figure out life and its millions of occupants purely fascinated her.

Bella would happily sit in a café or library for hours on end, thinking and people-watching, another of her traits. She didn't look upon her unusual habit as being noisy or rude, it was just her, though she didn't make a point of doing it too often or too obviously, seeing as a minority of people didn't like her to. She figured that it must seem intrusive to them. Most of the time, people would ignore her anyway; they always had and probably always would.

Bella, after her 25 years, 172 days and approximately 20 hours of life had come to the disappointing conclusion that people were predictable. This was one of the main reasons she knew she had never dated. Every man she had ever met was just that, a simple, predictable, human man. Just a body, with bones and skin. She used to search for somebody like her, somebody who wasn't just a body, but had an intelligent and complex mind underneath all their skin and bones. After all, wasn't it the mind that was the most unfathomable part of the human form and therefore the most desirable? She had searched for someone who had many interesting and unpredictable layers to their personality. Layers she could peel away and investigate, explore. She knew it was a stupid analogy to believe but she thought of most people as oranges, one easy layer to peel away. She however, was looking for something more like an onion, many more layers and depths. So where on earth was her onion?

Nowhere.

That was another conclusion she had reached and it was this conclusion that caused her to stop searching. She figured if there was even the smallest of chances that there was such a person out there, she would leave it to fate to allow them to find each other. She came to this decision about one year ago. It was then that she decided to move here, for a fresh start, to escape what had happened, and move on. And it was probably the best decision of her life to far. By the time she had lived here just one month, in this small, white house overlooking the ocean, she had already known it was home, or as close to a home as she was going to get and she also knew that she would live out her years here, sat alone most nights on this very bay window, her little head ticking over in thought. That she knew was set in stone, or was it?

And as Bella sat there she pondered this, as she had pondered many a time, and suddenly realised how long she had pondered for. Looking back out, from her comfortable position, over the slightly rough sea, she suddenly realised her favourite scene had long gone and she was sat peering out on the now darkened beach cove where her most precious little house was soundly situated. She noticed since the sun had set, the sea had become more unruly than it previously looked and she sensed a storm approaching.

Yes, that was what it was, the calm before the storm.

And it was then, just as she stood up and reached toward the left to draw the curtains and turn in for the night, that she spotted a tall figure. It was hunched over on an old bottle green bench about 30 metres to the left of her home. She often sat there, on that very bench, starring out over the ocean herself, in fact it was another of her favourite places to seat herself and enjoy the scenery. This figure however, did not seem to be sat there to look out at the beauty surrounding the lone green bench. Narrowing her eyes, Bella noticed the figure seemed to be gently shaking and intuitively, she knew what she had to do. She knew this person needed her help and she found herself propelled to do just that, help this poor person.

Quickly, but not too quickly, as she often had a tendency to fall flat on her face, she gingerly grabbed her warm, grey blanket off the back of the sofa and donned her old trainers and chocolate brown pea coat. She yanked open the oak front door, the powerful wind pushing against her in protest, and began to make her way toward the bench. Angry knives of wind stabbed at her face. Bella scrunched up her eyes and continued on, determined to reach her destination. How she got there in seemingly so little time and without incident she didn't know, but she soon found herself facing the figure, the figure of a tall, well-built man, she now realised.

"Excuse me, but are you well?" she asked hesitantly, thoughts flitting across her mind a mile a minute. She didn't even know this man and she was offering her help at this late hour. Suddenly, she began to worry about her own wellbeing, what if this man was bad news?

The man gave no indication as to having heard her question so she asked again, this time a little louder so not to let her voice by carried from the man's ears a second time by the unyielding wind.

"Excuse me, but are you alright? Do you need any help?"

The man's still shaking body slowly turned in her direction. Keeping his head down, away from the direct chill of the wind, his eyes looked up at her. And what a pair of eyes they were.

Piercing emerald green in colour. Dark and deep and quite frankly, beautiful, she found herself thinking immediately. They were large and perfectly round, thick lashes framing both intricately designed windows. She was a firm believer in that, that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and his only confirmed her belief. Looking closer she found how full of expression and feeling they were. Easily readable, like a book. She quickly read feelings of sadness, despair, sorrow, guilt and helplessness. She wondered of the pages she could write just about the emotions in his eyes alone, many hundreds it seemed as she stared endlessly into them. Bella realized instantly that she would happily write for days on end about only that if it meant she could stare into them for days on end also.

She was definitely in unknown territory.

This strange realisation shocked Bella back into a conscious state. Her natural protective and caring streak kicked in again she began to unravel the blanket she had grabbed just a few minutes ago, intending to securely wrap it around the obviously freezing cold man.

As she was doing so, a fat drop of rain landed on her cheek and tingled all the way down her face to her chin. With the combined feel of the winter wind, it chilled her through to the bone.

Looking up, Bella saw hundreds of similar droplets, travelling in downward spirals to earth where they were inevitably going to make contact with both her and the green eyed man.

The storm she had anticipated had arrived.

She worried for only the man's health now, as one look in his eyes had eliminated all her previous fears for herself. This man could be trusted. He was once again a man that needed her help and she still felt just as compelled to do so, if not more.

Bella placed herself on the bench edge as she reached toward the man with the blanket. His eyes watched her intently as she told him with hers that she was there to help. She finally secured it around his broad, shirt clad shoulders.

"Please, come with me. My house it just over there", she pointed toward its general direction. "We can get you dried off and warmed up"

He slowly nodded his head in consent and together, they made their way toward the old oak front door, all the while, rain pelted their faces and wind stabbed away at their bare skin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: **

**I got a few reviews ****(so thanks!) and it motivated me to write more so I and decided to update sooner. This chapter is longer, so, enjoy!**

_Previously:_

"_Please, come with me. My house it just over there", she pointed toward its general direction. "We can get you dried off and warmed up" _

_He slowly nodded his head in consent and together, they made their way toward the old oak front door, all the while, rain pelted their faces and wind stabbed away at their bare skin. _

Chapter Two

Bella roughly tugged off her trainers and pushed her drenched hair away from her face with her fingers. Now that her house had blanketed them in light, she intended to get a better look at her mysterious guest. After straightening up though, she disappointingly found she was only looking upon the man's back.

A lovely back, but only a back nonetheless, and she desperately wanted to see his face instead, where his glorious eyes sat in their sockets.

She waited for a several moments before realising that he probably wasn't going to turn around anytime soon. Bella found herself thinking it was quite rude of him. Here she was, offering her hospitality and there he was, blatantly choosing not to acknowledge her. And for some reason, she very much wanted him to. In an attempt to gain his attention she asked another question.

"Would you like to take a seat?" she asked whilst gesturing with her arm toward her couch before realising he still wasn't facing her and that the action was pointless. "You could attempt to warm up a little why I go and root out some dry clothes for you?"

Still, no reaction.

The man was obviously one of two things. Partially deaf or totally oblivious. She seriously doubted the first.

So, totally oblivious it was then.

Oblivious to his surroundings, oblivious to her, possibly even to fact that she was, just this second, speaking to him it seemed.

Although she couldn't fully understand why he might be reacting this way, she could guess. She assumed whatever had caused such sadness and despair to fill his eyes, was now causing him to go into shock, and thus bringing on his strange stupor. The cold and the rain could not have helped either she found herself thinking and for the second time that night, she worried for his health.

She decided it didn't matter about her selfish need to see his eyes once more, the only thing she wanted to do right now was to take care of him, the thing she had felt the need to do in the first place.

Her guest was still not responding, his back still to her. Bella let out a sigh.

She began to make her way toward her crooked staircase, to get some clothes for them both, but before she reached the first stair, she caught the hint of a unique smell.

Upon its fragrance wafting around her, her eyes instinctively fluttered closed in pure pleasure. There was no way to describe it, no way that is that would possibly give it the justice it deserved. It was musky, but somehow fresh and spicy, slightly salty too, from the rain she presumed. The best thing she had ever smelt she knew automatically. Yes, simply the best. Like forever looking into his eyes, she knew she could never get tired of smelling all that was him.

Overwhelmed by the strange combination of things that she was feeling, Bella dashed up the set of thirteen stairs, in the hope that with the sent cleared from around her, she could finally begin to function properly again.

She dug around at the back of her wardrobe for a while, eventually finding some man's clothes inside a box in the corner. Just an old jumper and pyjama bottoms, but it would do. She hastily changed into her own jumper and bottoms before scrubbing at her scalp with a towel in an attempt to dry off her hair which had been uncomfortably dripping down her back. Just before heading back downstairs, she saw a pair of thick socks on top of the clean washing basket. She snatched them up just in case; goodness knows if his feet were anywhere near as cold as hers, he would need them.

When she reached the bottom stair, she noticed he was no longer stood up but slouched over in his position on the couch, his head in his hands. Her heart clenched and a wave of sadness crashed over her, she felt for him.

As she walked over she began to take in other details of his appearance. His thick, auburn hair was wavy and stuck out in every direction, his legs were long and lean, and his shoulders broad. One of her favourite things about him though, other than his eyes, was his hands. Bella always loved man's hands and his were a pair to be proud of. Large palms and long fingers, truly beautiful. The kind that would look at home splayed across a length of piano keys.

Due to her eyes trained so intently on his body, Bella failed to realise that her foot was, for the millionth time it seemed, about to come in contact with her coffee table. She was not surprised however when her big toe painfully jabbed into the wood, it happened several times daily. She loved the old, hand-carved coffee table too much to get rid of it though, even if it was a pain in the arse, constantly getting in the way of her feet.

The man must have caught her movement from the corner of his eye because just as she raised her head after briefly inspecting her toe, he raised his.

Oh my.

What a handsome man.

He had beautifully chiselled cheekbones and a jaw that looked as if it had been painstakingly carved from stone. A delightfully straight nose that was well, so striking. A gloriously pale complexion that was home to two remarkably plump, dark red lips. How she yearned to suck on those lips with her own.

Bella was rendered speechless, and for someone of her profession, that was a tricky thing to be. However, she now found herself unable even to blink, or breathe, never mind speak, for she had reached his eyes.

They continued to rage with sadness and pain but now had flickers of curiosity buried deep within them. Her heart flipped flopped about at the thought that he was feeling just that one emotion for her, curiosity. That he deeply wished to get to know her as much as she did him.

Oh how she hoped it was true.

But it was not.

It couldn't be.

He was sad and desperate. Not lonely and lust filled as she was. There would be no reason for him to want to know her, to him; she was just a good Samaritan. She convinced herself he still hadn't even registered she was there, due to the obvious shock he was feeling just minutes before. No, he wasn't curious about her, but rather about why she hadn't yet passed him the dry clothes folded in her hands.

So she did.

She reached over and placed the clothes on the couch beside him. She observed that he didn't follow their journey across the room with his eyes but instead, watched her actions with, fascination? The sight was quite unnerving so she spoke, to eliminate the tension in the room. "Its only a jumper and pyjama pants but I'm sure if we dry your hair and make you a hot water bottle you'll soon warm up. Do you need anything else?"

She hoped her attempt at being a good hostess would please him somewhat or at least gain some sort of reaction from him, but still, he just continued to stare at her. It a way though, she was pleased. She liked that he wanted to look at her, lord knows, she did him.

Bella began to blush, a common occurrence. Most of the time it was quite unexpected, she often didn't know the trigger. She didn't have time to waste thinking about it now though, because she was now growing more red by the second and as her colour grew, so did her embarrassment.

She had to hide it.

She turned to go toward the kitchen, still red as a beetroot, muttering as she went, "I'm going to make some tea. I suppose you can get changed and I'll be back in just a minute?" Her last words came out as more of a question but she didn't wait around for him to answer it, she assumed he wouldn't, as he had not any of her others.

As the kettle boiled, she wandered about the gorgeous, now probably naked, man in her living room. What had he been through? Where had he come from? Again, she sighed. What a strange situation to be in.

Bella poured two cups of hot tea and added a little milk to each. She used the remainder of the boiled water to make a hot water bottle and plated up some biscuits. They were her favourite kind, home-made and chocolate chip. She loved to bake. It was unusual that somebody would visit her so she decided she would take full advantage of the opportunity and offer the man some. Usually, more were baked than were eaten anyway.

When she got back to the living room, arms full, she found the man still sat, just as she had left him. Expression and clothing, unchanged. His eyes continued to stare at her, curiosity and fascination still present in both.

She placed the cups of tea, the hot water bottle and the biscuits on the table and sat on the couch opposite the man. Bella realised that her sad-faced guest was still shaking and that there were circles under his eyes, indicating he was terribly tired. Perhaps the reason he couldn't find it in himself to change? He needed to change. If he couldn't do it himself, then she would.

"Can I help you with getting changed?"

She waited.

And then, with slightly droopy eyes, he slowly nodded his head, for the second time that night, in consent. Finally, a reaction!

She stepped around the table and perched herself on the couch next to him. She removed the wet blanket which was still draped round his shoulders and chucked it on the floor, now useless.

He continued to watch her.

Firstly, she reached down and took off his muddy shoes, making quick work of his soggy laces. His socks were equally soaked so those were removed also. She noted that he had delightful feet. Large and masculine with perfectly shaped toes. She liked the small mole on his right big toe.

Bella leaned in to him as he inclined his body toward her. She began to unbutton the shirt buttons one by one, starting form the bottom. His scent was most potent there, next to his chest. She inhaled deeply, loving the light-headed feeling she got when she did. When she reached his top button she noticed his head was bowed, due to how tired and weak he must feel she presumed. She hated that he felt this way, nobody as beautiful as him should have to.

She dropped her gaze from his thick mop of hair, back to the task in hand and began to gently push his wet shirt off his shoulders. Her eyes involuntarily widened. His chest was as lovely as the rest of him. Hard but soft looking, angular but smooth and oh so pale and flawless. She discretely caressed as much of his cold flesh as she possibly could while she yanked off the rest of his shirt. Her warm hands must have been pleasant to the touch as he made a soft, contented noise from the back of his throat.

Bella felt goose bumps appear on her arms and legs at the sound of it.

Suddenly realising she next had to take off this man's pants, her face flushed once more.

"Can you stand?" she asked a little breathlessly, her voice taking on a lustful tone. She hoped he didn't notice, the poor thing only wanted her help. She couldn't believe she was acting this way, she didn't even know the man.

Another nod of his head.

He wobbled to his feet, gripping Bella's left shoulder quite tightly as he did so. It didn't hurt her though; she sensed that he never intentionally would. Bella could observe from this angle what such a great height he reached, being nearly a foot taller. Nevertheless, he placed one had on each shoulder, head still bowed in fatigue.

Bella worried that the act of taking of his clothes wasn't going fast enough. She could feel cool air emanating from him. He needed to warm up. She quickly unbuckled his black belt, trying, but failing miserably to stop the fact that she was breathing at an abnormally fast rate. She really couldn't help it though; she hadn't undressed a man in over three years and she certainly didn't expect the next time to be under such odd circumstances and with such a breath-taking creature as he.

Next, she roughly pulled down his pants, grazing his thighs accidently, though not regrettably as she did so. Again with the arousing noises he made. She breathed deeper.

The second his feet were pulled free of his pants he fell back down to the couch once more. It was an obvious effort for him to even stand for too long. He leaned his head back and sighed, eyes closed. Bella stood transfixed as she watched the veins in his neck pulse with the action. She was suddenly very aware that he was dressed in his boxers alone.

A bead of sweat formed on her clammy forehead.

Hurriedly, she brushed it away and reached for the fresh jumper, having to lean over his toned legs in order to do so. She reached behind his neck gently so as not to startle him and pulled his head forward so she could pull the jumper over his head. When she had, his eyes shot open and stared intently into her own. She could read from his eyes that he was silently thanking her. She nodded slightly in acknowledgement and proceeded to pull the jumper down his chest, pushing his muscular arms through the sleeves, him helping as much as he could manage.

He stood again as she tugged up the soft pyjama pants she'd gotten for him. Eventually, he sat on the sofa, fully clothed, thick socks and all, with a bit of colour starting to make its way back into his cheeks. She gingerly passed him the hot water bottle she had made for him and turned to get a dry blanket from the airing cupboard.

Just as she did, she felt his large palmed, long fingered hand clasp around her wrist. She realised happily that it was beginning to get warm. She spun around to face him; again his emerald eyes bore into her own dark brown ones. Then, he spoke.

"Thank you" he muttered sincerely, his voice cracking at one point. She rejoiced at the sound she had so desperately wanted to hear ever since he stepped over her threshold. He had a lovely, deep and harmonious voice, smooth and elegant. It caused an involuntary smile to grace Bella's face and she muttered back a, "Your very welcome" before turning again to retrieve the blanket.

When she returned, she tucked the blanket around him securely. She observed that there were little drops of water slowly dripping down his neck. Humph. Where had those come from?

Oh, his hair. It was still wet.

"Would you like me to dry your hair for you?" she asked hopefully. She'd love to not only make him more comfortable, but also to perhaps take advantage of having a reason to run her fingers through his messy mop.

"Please, if you don't mind" he replied. He eyes had a slightly sheepish look about them as though he were ashamed he didn't have the physical strength to dry off his hair himself, though sadness and pain were still the most dominant feelings within them.

"Not at all"

Bella climbed onto the couch and sat on the back behind the man's head, towel in hand, ready to scrub his hair. She couldn't help but feel happy that he had gotten to a point where he felt comfortable enough to talk with her. It was either that, or he had somehow been knocked out of his previous oblivious state.

Whatever had changed, she liked it.

Maybe now she could help him talk through his problems, be a shoulder to cry on. She'd love to be shoulder. Truthfully, she'd be anything he wanted, whether it was a body part or a source of advice.

She began to slowly rub the towel through his silky locks, loving that he moved toward her touch. She leaned down to wipe his neck of the excess water droplets still there. When she was sure his hair was pretty much dry, she decided she'd lightly massage his head, in an attempt to relax him somewhat. Bella ran her fingers through his hair, like she had wished, until she reached the area just above his temples. She applied a light pressure and began to gently move her fingers back and forth across his scalp.

Then he moaned. An actual audible moan escaped his plump lips. It was quiet and rather feeble, but there nonetheless. Bella suppressed her own moan. Goodness, he was so sexy.

Her fingers applied more pressure in the hope that she would get a repeat performance.

No such luck.

Instead, he sighed again. A long, deep sigh. Well at least she could make him do that.

A question suddenly burned on her tongue, the kind you usually ask in the first few seconds of meeting somebody. She asked it.

"What's your name?" Again, the question came out a little breathlessly, her cheeks reddened.

He didn't speak for a few seconds. Bella worried she had asked a question he didn't want to answer. Then,

"It's Edward."

Edward. A name of old origins. A name that suited him perfectly. Something about his angular features and graceful mannerisms reminded her of a gentleman, straight from the turn of the century. She smiled and climbed down from her seat on the sofa. She faced him and stuck out her hand.

"Hello Edward, I'm Bella" she said.

**Hey guys,**

**Do you feel the sexual tension building? **

**Wondering what the hell is up with Edward? **

**PLEASE REVIEW **

**Cammy x **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! **

**I know it's been a while and for that I'm terribly sorry. **

**I shan't make you wait so long for the next chapter. **

**The reviews helped me enormously in writing this chapter so I can't thank you enough. **

**Enjoy this one…**

_**Previously: **_

"_What's your name?" Again, the question came out a little breathlessly, her cheeks reddened. _

_He didn't speak for a few seconds. Bella worried she had asked a question he didn't want to answer. Then,_

"_It's Edward."_

_Edward. A name of old origins. A name that suited him perfectly. Something about his angular features and graceful mannerisms reminded her of a gentleman, straight from the turn of the century. She smiled and climbed down from her seat on the sofa. She faced him and stuck out her hand. _

"_Hello Edward, I'm Bella" she said. _

**Chapter three**

Whether it was the formal way in which she said it or just the fact that they were only introducing themselves now, after all this time, that he found amusing, she didn't know. But as soon as she said those words, a smile broke out across his face and his shoulders slightly shook in silent laughter.

He had an immaculate smile. One side of his pouty lips were raised higher than the other. It was crooked, Bella loved it.

She thrilled once more when he reached out and held her hand between his own, squeezing slightly as he did so in a belated greeting.

Every time their skin made contact, she felt the need to touch more and more of him, wanting to envelope his body with her own and just, be close to him.

He cocked his head to the side, smile still in place, making her want to grab hold of him all the more. "Hey" he said huskily, sexily, before he carefully extracted his fingers from hers.

Then, as quickly as the jovial atmosphere had occurred, it suddenly disappeared. As if remembering the reason for his distress, Edward's face turned sour, his bottom lip jutting outwards, eyebrows creased together, eyes swimming with ghosts, staring off into the distance. A picture of pain and misery yet again.

Bella felt frustrated with herself. She wished she could do enough to not only make him forget for a few split seconds, but help him to overcome his problems altogether. Although she had the images of his body permanently imprinted in her mind and was certain she now knew nearly every physical inch of him like the back of her hand, she reasoned with herself that she did not know _him_ well enough to justify questioning him. She hoped that she could eventually find the right time to ask him what was going on in his head but in order to that, she concluded, she would have to make him stay a while longer.

Turning her head in the direction of the table, she noticed the uneaten biscuits and the now probably cold tea sat on the wooden top.

A way to prolong his stay.

"Edward," Oh, how well his name fell smoothly from her lips. She looked up at him, eyebrows raised in question, "Would you like some biscuits?"

"Please" he answered, his head thrown back against the couch once more.

Bella grabbed the biggest one she could find. She broke off a mouth full and raised it to Edward's lips, figuring he wouldn't take much pleasure out of having to use up his remaining energy to feed himself.

That's what she told herself anyway.

Edward's lips opened as Bella pushed in the home-made goodness. She watched in fascination as he chewed gently before, in all his godliness, he licked his lips. Gosh, those lips of his.

The biscuit feeding routine went on for quite a while. Bella broke a piece off, fed it to Edward, and then proceeded to get another. Her favourite instances were when her fingertips lightly grazed his lips. That was when the goose bumps appeared again. By the time he finally said he was full, he'd eaten six or seven.

"Thank you" he told her when she'd tidied up.

Bella looked down at him. He had slouched in his position on the couch, eyes closed, mouth hanging open slightly. He looked adorable. Sexy as hell, but adorable. She was reminded of a little boy, exhausted after a long day playing at the playground. Except, she quickly reminded herself, his problems must be much bigger than those of a little boy. Even in near sleep, she could see the worry lines that plagued his pale face. She fully intended to ask him about the reason for the pain and sadness in his eyes, but she could do that later.

For now, she would let him rest.

Bella gathered another two blankets from the cupboard. She wrapped the first around Edward's long body, wanting to make sure he was doubly warm. The second, she snuggled up with on the opposite couch, watching Edward as she did so. She sat there watching, for a long time. Watching his chest rise and fall rhythmically with each of his deep breaths. Watching his pale eye lids flutter and fingers twitch as he lay, dreaming, she presumed.

She hoped that it was dreams as opposed to nightmares. She hoped he was escaping the grief and misery he was feeling by letting his mind carry him to a happier place, a care-free place.

Bella couldn't or rather wouldn't allow herself to fall asleep. She was afraid that if she did; he would awake and need something, or worse than that, awake and leave. She knew she already felt something for him. Every time she looked into his eyes, she could feel her feet slipping from familiar ground, further toward the unknown. She felt that soon, she could easily fall, unable to climb back up to the place where everything was normal and made perfect sense. However, she found herself welcoming the uncertainty. She often thought herself overly cautious as a person and therefore went through life taking few chances. Edward was a welcome disruption and she felt herself wanting to keep him around. For these reasons, she couldn't possibly allow him to leave.

Although still lost in her thoughts, Bella registered from the corner of eye that Edward was stirring. His body convulsed, his hands clenched, sweat beads begin to form on his brow. Much to her dismay, his _was_ experiencing a nightmare.

Pulling off her blanket, she rushed to his side and keeled by his head. Whilst brushing away the hair from his eyes she spoke gently in his ear.

"Edward, Edward wake up."

His eyes shot open, full of panic and confusion.

"Bella" he breathed heavily, his broad chest rising and falling sharply.

"Yes, I'm here." His eyes connected with hers. They were so close, Bella could practically count the number of eyelashes around each eye. "You were having a nightmare."

He looked to his hands, clenching and unclenching them, as if to test if he were truly awake. Although he spoke softly, Bella heard his quiet mutterings; he was trying to reassure himself, "Just a nightmare, it wasn't real. It wasn't real. Just a nightmare…"

Boldly, she reached out and took his face in her hands. She sensed that it might be the perfect time to probe him a little. Stroking his soft cheeks comfortingly with her thumbs she said, "It seemed pretty horrible; do you want to talk about it?"

Bella felt him quickly tense beneath her and watched as his eyes widened in horror. His large hands began to shake in his lap. He pulled away from her grasp on his face and began to vigorously shake his head from side to side, leaning away from her even further as he did so.

"No, I don't" his spoke sternly

"Are you sure? I always find that talking about it while it's still fresh helps to–"

"No Bella" his voice low and commanding, "I'm not talking about it, just stop asking"

Bella was stunned by his reaction. She thought their relationship had grown somewhat since she found him on the bench, yet he was still insistent that he was not going to talk to her.

Edward pinched the bridge on his nose with two fingers and leaned back into the comfortable embrace of the couch, his breathing slowing.

She began to silently reprimand herself, it wasn't her place to try and fix him, or whatever it was she was trying to do. She should have just kept quiet.

She stood abruptly, walking back over to her couch, feeling the need, due to his rejection, to distance herself from him. "I'm sorry" she said sincerely as she seated herself on the edge of the couch, "I didn't mean to pry". Bella shifted uncomfortably, not able to relax because of the obvious tension in the room.

After a few seemingly never ending minutes, he spoke.

"Bella, forgive me. My behaviour just then was inexcusable."

She looked at him then, really looked at him, and she couldn't find it in her heart to be the least bit angry at his outburst.

"It's fine, your forgiven. Just know that you can talk to me whenever you feel ready to, ok?"

He breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes meeting hers once more, and nodded briefly.

Suddenly wondering about the time, Bella glanced over to the clock above the fireplace only to find that it was nearly two o'clock. Over on the opposite couch, Edward breathed deeply once more, head resting lazily on the armrest. She could sense he was again on the verge of sleep. She decided to suggest they both go to bed.

Crouching by his head and caressing his face she whispered,

"Edward, get up, time for bed"

She shook him by his right shoulder and he groaned noisily, unwilling to move.

Again she tugged at his jumper,

"Edward, come on. I'd carry you to bed myself but unfortunately you're twice my size. I think I'm going to need some help here."

Carefully, he pushed himself up off the couch, a small smirk on his face in response to her playful banter.

He let her tug him along, carrying some of his bodyweight, but not enough to hurt her and they ascended the rickety stairs.

Bella hadn't had the time to make up another bed beforehand so she led him to her own room, pulled back the covers on her bed and gently pushed him down into her mattress. Immediately, his eyes fluttered closed.

She pulled the covers around him, tending to him like a child. She smoothed away his hair from his eyes and on an impulse, leaned down to lightly brush her lips against his forehead. He moaned contently then, like he had when she had massaged his head earlier and the noise forced her mind once more to go directly to the gutter.

She placed one hand on his hard stomach, stroking it gently through the fabric, and one above his head, studying him. She focused on his parted lips and leaned down toward them. Almost nose to nose, she inhaled deeply, his scent so potent, she could almost taste him. Her mouth watered and her tongue swept across her bottom lip in excitement.

She trailed her right hand from his stomach, feeling her way up his muscles till she reached his chin. Softly, she moved her fingers back and forth across his jaw line and simultaneously, swept her nose across his left cheekbone. She caressed all the soft flesh of his face before eventually extracting herself from his beautiful form. Raising her body she spoke tenderly.

"Sweet dreams Edward"

She reached over to switch off the lamp on the bedside table and proceeded to swivel round to leave the room. But before barely taking a step, pianist's fingers wrapped around her wrist.

"Stay"

**Please review if you can find the time to do so. Thank you. **

**Cammy x **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's another chapter guys…**

_Previously…_

"_Sweet dreams Edward" _

_She reached over to switch off the lamp on the bedside table and proceeded to swivel round to leave the room. But before barely taking a step, pianist's fingers wrapped around her wrist._

"_Stay" _

**Chapter Four**

Had he spoken or was it her imagination? She wasn't so sure. Confused, she looked down at the fingers clenched tightly around her wrist. He was definitely conscious.

Having presumed he was asleep, warmth rose to her face at the thought that he had been fully aware of her presence the entire time. She had touched him just then, far more intimately than a woman might touch a man after only a few hours of acquaintance.

Her cheeks burned.

Warily she turned to face him, only to find him staring softly back at her.

She took hold of the hand he held out and crouched down near his head. Looking down and playing with his fingers she asked,

"Why?"

He shifted in the bed. He turned on his side and raised his hand from Bella's clasp; he lifted her chin and looked directly into her questioning stare. Bella's heart rate raced at the feeling of the first display of affection he had given her all evening.

"Honestly, I can't stand to be alone at the moment. I just need you near me."

He looked so damn sincere in that moment.

Bella knew that she was undoubtedly attracted to Edward. That said, she knew absolutely nothing about him other than that when she looked into his striking forest green eyes, see saw their pain, grief and guilt. She knew not how he had found himself to be sat on her green bench nor the series of events that had led to him being out in the crazy weather in the first place. She didn't know anything of his past or future and doubted she ever would. However, she did know the now. She knew just as he had needed her help when she found him, he needed her now also.

Bella didn't know the extent of her feelings; she just knew that she felt something. And It was this something that made it impossible for her to reason that she couldn't, whether he felt something for her or not, give him what he wanted. So with a nod of her head, she did.

He dropped her face as she walked round the other side, pulled the covers back and slid into the bed. Edward watched her every movement so intently, it made her feel self conscious.

Bella lay contently on her back, closed her eyes and sighed.

While she concentrated on breathing normally, she listened to the storm which could be heard outside in all its glory. Bullets of rain battered the windows and the wind furiously whistled round the cottage.

She loved being tucked up in her bed when a storm raged outside. Storms occurred rarely but that just made it all the more special when they did occur and when Bella was able to lie in bed feeling extremely safe and protected in its warm embrace. Tonight, this feeling was all the more special, due to fact that she had somebody to share it with.

She opened her eyes then and rolled on her side to face her companion, only to find he had moved much closer and was now staring gently into her eyes.

He warned her with his own eyes that she could trust him, before he reached his arm across her torso and wrapped it round her waist. Bella didn't panic, she did trust Edward. Everything that had happened already between them somehow felt natural and normal. He moved even closer then and laid his head on Bella's stomach. It was a protective embrace and though Bella didn't know what exactly she was protecting him from, she knew she was helping him feel safe and wanted by holding him like she was.

Unthinkingly, she ran one of her hands through his mop of auburn hair. He stroked the small patch of skin exposed near her midriff with his fingertips.

Both sighed simultaneously.

Bella noticed the dark bruise like marks under his eyes for the first time and said, "You look so tired"

"Until tonight, I hadn't slept in days"

She felt yet more sympathy for the man in her arms and briefly, she debated asking him _why_. _Why_ he couldn't sleep. _Why_ he was so distraught. _Why_ he had barely talked to her all evening about a thing but embraced her now like she was thing he needed most in the world. But she remembered back to his reaction in the living room and decided against it. It could wait. Instead she said,

"Well then, perhaps you should try and get a few hours."

"Yes I suppose", he nodded his head slightly, "you'll stay?" he asked unsure.

"Of course Edward"

"Thank you"

Less than five minutes later, he had drifted off to asleep.

**************

Bella awoke from a deep sleep not long later after having been hit hard across the face by a flailing arm. She opened her eyes, squinting in the darkness and somehow managed, in her dazed and disorientated state, to register the offending arm was once again coming toward her at speed. She dogged swiftly out of the way whilst at the same time, grabbing the arm and holding it down to the bed.

Edward groaned loudly next to her, and it was at this point she realised the arm that had hit her, the arm she held in her clasp, belonged to him. Blinking a few times to clear her eyes of their sleepy haze, she concentrated on Edward.

Through the dark she saw that his face, though in sleep, was once again twisted in pain and misery. He moans began to get louder and louder with each passing second. His head whipped constantly from side to side and his other arm and both of his legs were flinging themselves relentlessly against one another. His body thrashed around violently and his trapped arm somehow managed to come free of her grip on it. He began to wail and yell incoherently.

He was out of control.

Though Bella had suffered her fare share of nightmares over the years, none compared to his. He looked nothing short of possessed. It was undoubtedly one of the most heartbreaking things she had ever witnessed.

She grabbed his shoulders and pushed them down into the mattress in an attempt to prevent him falling off the bed. "Edward!" she tried to shout over his yelling, "Edward!"

He didn't wake.

She got up on her knees and straddled him firmly, preventing his thrashing, and continued to push him down.

"Edward!" she shouted from the top of her lungs.

He stilled.

When he opened his eyes he panted heavily, as if he had just ran up ten flights of stairs. For a few short seconds he seemed in shock. Then, salty streams of tears began to trickle down his cheekbones. He stared wide eyed at the ceiling and the tears continued to fall. His shoulders shook as silent sobs racked through his body.

"I can't forget Bella." he moaned, "No matter how hard I try I can't escape it."

The wind whipped against the windows and his tears, like the rain, continued to fall.

Bella leaned down and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Escape what? What can't you forget? For Christ sakes Edward, tell me!"

He continued to moan as if not hearing her, "I can't do this anymore. It's too painful."

Both were quiet then.

Bella sat, staring solidly into his eyes. She couldn't help but to think that if she stared hard enough, she could read from his eyes the answers to the questions she longed for.

But she was wrong, no answers appeared.

He turned his head away from her penetrating stare.

Forever stubborn, she tried a different approach. "I can help you. Whatever it is, I can help you Edward, just tell me."

He turned his head back to face her. His skin was pale and his tears glistened on his cheeks. His hands clasped her hips and he shook her body on top of his own, as if trying to shake some sense into her and spoke with an odd combination of both authority and desperation,

"You can't help me Bella. I'm too broken and too fucked up for any of that help shit. So stop it." he shook her harder, "Just stop it!"

As she looked upon his haunted face she had a small revelation.

He was right.

She realised that no matter what she said to him, it could not help. Whatever painful event he had gone through was the kind that couldn't be solved with easy words and simple gestures. This pain and grief could only be healed by days, months and possibly years. It would take time, a lot of it, for Edward to overcome this. In the meantime however, Bella's thick socks and cookies were really all that she could give.

Or were they?

Bella recalled that Edward had specifically said that he couldn't make himself forget what had happened. But surely she could. She could make him forget, for a while at least. Bella understood perfectly that when pain, having experienced her fare share, was fresh, it was too hard to face head on, too hard to do something about. It just existed, like an aggressive disease eating away at your inner workings. But distractions helped, helped you cope till you could face your demons.

So that's what she would do. She would help him by distracting him.

She looked back down at his glorious face. His eyes were closed. The sobbing continued though it was quieter and his shoulders shook less than before.

His lips parted. "Bella" he sighed.

A fresh tear trickled down his face.

He looked so defeated.

Without thinking through her actions but instead just going on what felt right, something Bella never did, she leaned toward him and gently pressed her lips across his cheekbones, trailing her kisses down the tracks of his tears, kissing them away. In between kisses she spoke softly,

"I'm here." She kissed his forehead

"Shush now Edward" She kissed his eyelids,

"You're okay" She kissed his temples.

"Shush, I'm here for you".

She breathed him in before leaning away from him.

He groaned.

Then, so quickly she didn't have the time to register what he was doing, he positioned her above him and leaned her toward his face. His lips found hers.

A small part of her brain begged her to think through her actions. Begged her to painstakingly separate all that was right from all that was wrong in this situation. But she didn't listen. In fact she all but yelled at that part to shut up and let her, for once in her life, rule her actions with her heart.

And her heart told her that he needed her, needed this.

So with the sound of her heart beat pounding in her ears, she ravenously returned the kiss.

And although his lips were alien to her, they felt like home.

He took her bottom lip between his own and sucked and bit it softly.

She opened her mouth and suddenly, they were sharing the same hot breath as the other.

She delicately pushed her way into his mouth with her wet tongue and their mouths moved tenderly against one another.

And the feeling created warm bubbles in her stomach.

And she was amazed. Amazed at him. All this time he had been quiet and unresponsive, never giving anything away. Now however, he was responding. He was holding her to him as if this, whatever this was, meant something to him.

She clutched his face with her hands and she felt the wetness of the left over tears on his cheeks and she brushed them away, and she felt like she was riding him of not only his tears, but his woes. As they kissed deeper and deeper she began to see what was happening. She was distracting him and he was amazing her. As she pulled away, she was smiling.

In that moment she decided she would do this, she would be with him. He needed her and she wanted him. So why not? She wouldn't think about the consequences, she wouldn't think about the "what ifs" and she certainly wouldn't think about tomorrow. She would take control, help distract him, help him feel wanted and most of all, help to take away some of the pain and grief in his eyes, at least for a while.

With that decided she bent down again toward his face and kissed along his jaw line. She continued down his neck, biting and licking as she went. She glided her hands under his jumper and up his smooth back and he sexily groaned aloud, obviously enjoying the sensation. She griped the tight muscles she found there and he exhaled deeply.

She leaned down to his ear, sucked softly on his lobe and whispered,

"I'm going to make you forget Edward"

**Author's Note**

**Okay, I know it's been a while. So shoot me.**

**To be honest, I've been really busy at school and as fun as this is to write and as much as I love every review I receive, my work is my priority. Also, for some reason, this was a very difficult chapter to write, it took me ages. So that's my explanation. Take it or leave it. Forgive me?**

**I know exactly what will be in the next chapter so I should update much sooner, fingers crossed. **

**And for those who are expecting Edward to spill his guts anytime soon and for them to live happily ever after together, you are going to be surprised with the turn of events in the next few chapters. This story is probably going to be longer than you think. **

**Thanks again for all the great reviews, I smile so wide when I get one!**

**Cammy xx**


End file.
